Architectural Activities and Landscape Architecture in South Africa 2022

South Africa’s construction industry, on which architects depend, has been steadily declining since the 2010 FIFA World Cup and hard hit by lockdowns in 2020. It has recovered somewhat in 2022, although the extent to which this will continue is unclear. There is fierce competition between architects as the growth in the number of projects has slowed, leading to pressure on profits. Revenues are affected by the stagnant economy, delays, a decline in investment in infrastructure projects, and the pandemic. The industry has had challenges with fraud, with many unregistered people tendering for work at local municipalities using other people’s registration numbers.

Landscape Architecture

Landscape architects are generally engaged in high-end residential, retail, and some commercial projects. They usually take a cue from the architect in terms of the project’s landscape design. They are often brought in towards the end of a project, and fees and landscaping budgets are often cut back or left out when project costs get too high. Growth and developments in the sector is being driven by sustainable architecture, living/green walls, and mixing edible plants into landscaping design.

Trends

Trends include the Increasing use of sustainable materials and innovations for sustainable, cost-effective housing developments using pre-fabrication. 3D printing is being used for design and construction and architects are focusing on designing smart buildings and buildings which self-regulate their environment. The computer-assisted design has largely replaced manual drafting.

Report Coverage

This report focuses on architectural activities, including landscaping, and includes information on the industry and the construction industry on which it depends, the types of architects and practices, salaries, projects, and influencing factors including environmental factors and technology. There are profiles of 25 companies including architectural practices AMA, A3, Paragon, and DHK, and landscape architects such as Insite and Newtown Landscape Architects.